


veritas facta est draconum

by kattenprinsen



Category: Original Work
Genre: Dragons, Fairy Tale Elements, Fairy Tale Style, Gen, Transformation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-01
Updated: 2018-08-01
Packaged: 2019-06-19 23:37:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15521232
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kattenprinsen/pseuds/kattenprinsen
Summary: A Princess yearning for personal happiness learns that actions have consequences and takes responsibility for hers.





	veritas facta est draconum

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this stupidly late at night as a bedtime story for my friend.

Once upon a time there was a Princess whose hair was the color of chestnuts, and had eyes like [enstatite](https://www.gemgazer.com/ekmps/shops/gemgazer/images/enstatite-orange-brown-faceted-sri-lanka.-4.01-carats.-%5B2%5D-2224-p.jpg). She was kind, and charming, and the kingdom loved her. As she grew up, she learned all the things a princess might learn, but for some unfathomable reason, she was never happy.

 

She tried fencing, baking, sewing, dancing, gardening, singing, even smithing; but nothing she did brought her happiness. The Princess couldn't understand this, after all, she wanted for nothing. Anything she asked for was given to her by adoring subjects. This upset the Princess, who until now lived happily in the bliss of the upper class, and that night she packed a small bag and ran away.

 

She took a few dresses from one of the serving girls, tucked her long hair under a scarf, and set out on the road. She traveled for days, admiring the life outside the castle, and working for her lodgings. How wonderful, she reflected, to have obtained something through hard work. 

 

The Princess settled in a village quite far away from her home, far enough that she felt confident that no one would recognize her here, and became a farmhand for a local farmer. She worked hard throughout the day, and her once pale, delicate skin turned tan and calloused. She found she was happy.

 

One day, news came from the castle. It was announced that the Princess had been kidnapped by a dragon, for where else could she be? A bounty was set for the head of the Dragon, and the Princess was upset. How could she let the blame for her disappearance rest with someone who was not to blame?

 

At first, she thought maybe if she returned to her life at the castle, everything would be fine! But when she went back, no one recognized her, for she had long since cut her long, dark hair short for work. With her tan skin, shorter hair, and lower class clothing, no one saw that she was their princess, and instead she was roughly turned away. 

 

The Princess, put off by the rough treatment she received, thought maybe she should give up. Maybe she should let the dragon take blame. She sat outside the castle gates and thought hard about this, after all her choice would affect more than just her. She finally made up her mind when a large, handsome knight rode by, armed to the teeth.

 

She could not let this happen. 

 

The Princess went back to her village, and asked her neighbor, a retired knight, if she might borrow his horse to go on a journey. The retired knight gave her a shrewd look, for he had gone on many journeys in the past, and knew that they were never as simple as they sounded. He asked her if she knew anything of journeys, and the Princess smiled.

 

The Princess explained her past to the retired knight, and he laughed. At first, the Princess thought he was laughing at her, and she felt her face flush red with embarrassment, but the retired knight just stood and led her to his horse. Take care of her, he said to the princess, for she will bring you far.

 

The Princess thanked the retired knight, and when he offered her some of his old armor, she accepted. She changed into the armor, and packed a travel bag, and set off on the horse.

 

The Dragon, meanwhile, was quite perplexed at the sudden influx of foolish young knights attacking them. Give back the princess, the knights demanded, but the Dragon could not, because they did not have the princess. The Dragon tried to explain this several times, but soon found that knights were unfortunately thick, and unwilling to try diplomacy. 

 

The Dragon quickly grew to be exasperated. Humans, they reflected, were a violent kind, and they stopped trying to talk to them. From then on, any knight who went near the dragon's home was quickly incinerated.

 

The Princess rode on, unknowing of the fate that awaited those who tried to approach the Dragon. She saw the fans and families of knights who had already tried, for they were waiting at the bottom of the dragon's mountain, waiting for their loved ones to return. The Princess frowned, and blamed herself, for if she hadn't run away none of this would be happening.

 

The Princess rode up the mountain, and quickly found that she would have to continue on foot, for the path was thin and winding. She gathered her belongings from the retired knight's horse, thanked it for taking her this far, let it free, and continued on.

 

As she climbed, the Princess grew nervous, for there were bits and pieces from many sets of armor scattering the mountain, and all signs were pointing towards the dragon being the stereotypical type. She knew she could not fight a dragon, and almost turned back and went home.

 

But, she couldn't. She stared at the path home, and could not move her feet. This was her responsibility, and she needed to face it. The Princess walked onward.

 

The Dragon watched the latest knight reach the mouth of their cave, and waited for the usual arrogant challenge. When none came, they grew curious, and peeked out. 

 

The knight standing before them was small, smaller than the rest, and had no sword drawn. This struck the dragon as odd, after all one needs a sword to fight a dragon.

 

The Princess watched the Dragon's head emerge from their cave, and found she could not move under it's steady gaze.

The Dragon was beautiful, she realized, with dark gold and bronze scales, and eyes the color of enstatite.

 

The Princess drew an unsteady breath, and greeted the Dragon. She explained what she had done, and why there were so many foolish young knights knocking at their door. The Dragon laughed, and the Princess jumped, having not expected it.

 

_I can fix this_ , the Dragon offered, _but you will have to pay the price for it._

 

The Princess considered, and then agreed. The Dragon paused, and asked if she wanted to know the price. The Princess shook her head, and explained that no matter the price, she was willing to pay.

 

The Dragon smiled, and before the Princess's eyes, it's body shifted and changed into something more human.

 

Before the Princess now stood a girl around her age. The Girl was beautiful, with hair the color of chestnuts, and eyes like enstatite. Her skin was pale, and delicate. 

The Girl looked at the Princess, and smiled once more.

 

_Give me the fine clothes from your pack_ , the Girl said. and the Princess did.

 

_Give me the golden crown you once wore_ , the Girl said. and the Princess did.

 

The Girl put on the fine clothes, and set the golden crown on her brow, and when she was done, the now Princess turned to the old princess and said that it was her turn.

 

The old princess wanted to ask what she meant by this, but before she could she was blinded by agonizing pain. 

 

She screamed, and as she did, her tanned skin stretched and hardened into golden brown scales. Her short brown hair turned into horns that curled around her large head and down her long neck. Her sturdy, functional clothing tore and fell to the ground in tatters, but that was okay, because dragons had no need for clothing.

 

The Princess waited, and when all was done, and the Dragon looked up at her, she smiled. 

 

_You said you would pay the price_ , the Princess reminded gently when the Dragon looked upset.

 

The Dragon, feeling chastised, nodded, because they had.

 

_There's a retired knight's horse heading down the mountain_ , the Dragon told the Princess, if you hurry, you might catch up to it.

 

The Princess thanked the Dragon, and set off down the mountain.

 

The Dragon seemed to smile as they watched the Princess leave, and once she was out of sight, turned back to settle into their new home. How lovely, they reflected that, after all these years, they were finally, truly, happy.


End file.
